Tangled in Temptation

CHAPTER4

Amelia was not one to avoid difficult tasks. From the ground up, she built her career, working long hours, negotiating the corporate labyrinth with astuteness, and using her intuition to keep herself a step ahead, thereby constantly proving herself. But a gnawing doubt wormed its way into her thoughts today as she sat across from Sebastian Hawke in his polished, contemporary office. The arrangement was settled. Everything was official with the agreement. Still, everything seemed rather frantically urgent.

After the meeting, Sebastian was very silent. Upon signing the wedding agreement, he had just given a tiny, dissecting grin and remarked, "We'll have to get ready for the public announcement.

There is no time to waste.

Though his language was cutting and impersonal, there was something more to them subliminally. His calmness indicated that he did not anticipate any emotional link between them. To him, business was only what this was. But what did this imply for her? Was she just a pawn on his chessboard, or was there more to this than she was perceiving?

The rest of the day she would have spent in a haze; uncertainty would have clouded her ideas. But as she walked into the classy office building the next day, the first day of her new life, she realized that there was no going back. She was in it now—a marriage of expediency with one of the most influential men in the town.

Stepping off the elevator, her phone rang; the message from Sebastian was short and to the point: Meet me in my office. The next steps will be reviewed at our meeting.

Trying to calm the anxiety in her chest, Amelia squared her shoulders. Perhaps a huge ceremony, some fanfare commemorating the official start of their agreement; she didn't know what she had wanted. Rather, she was now entering the same cold, aloof setting she had worked in for the last many years, except in this case, her position was no longer that of an assistant. She was now a player in Sebastian's sphere. And this was a much riskier game.

She discovered him staring out at the vast city below when she came into his office, standing next to the floor-to-ceiling windows. Though he was a bit relaxed, his usual presence was authoritative. Today, that impact was magnified, for he was the sort of man who could, with one look, make you feel tiny and unimportant.

"Good morning, Amelia," he said, not looking around. "Please, sit."

Sitting at the seat in front of his desk, she followed his wishes. She tried to hide the anxiousness under her skin by running her fingers gently against her thigh.

Finally, he spun around to look at her and carried on, "You’ve made a decision." Ashamed one. Your quick acceptance caught me off guard, I have to admit.

Amelia gulped in an attempt to settle her butterflies. "I will make a decision, Sebastian." One option is ideal for me. I am present now and set to start.”

Evaluating her, he narrowed his eyes somewhat. "You say you're prepared. But what precisely do you think you're stepping into? Amelia, this is not just a job. One has to be responsible. In the public eye, you will be the face of this business. Everywhere you go, somebody will watch over you. It's not only a couple of choices now and then. Everything, including the image, the plan, and the expansion of Hawke Industries, will be yours to manage." I expect you to see that.

Amelia sighed deeply. When she signed the document, this was not precisely what she had pictured. Certainly, she had foreseen some power, but the weight of what he was now saying set her head spinning. It was more a takeover than a partnership. And she was required to perform her function exactly, without any margin for mistake.

Her vocal steady, "I realize," she said. She definitely wouldn't be backing off then.

This was her long-awaited chance; years of labor and sacrifice had brought this about. She dared not quit now due to fear.

Though it did not entirely reach his eyes, Sebastian's lips turned into a faintly approving grin. "Great. That's what I wanted to know. Be warned, however; I am not the sort that accepts mediocrity. If you are going to stand by my side, you must demonstrate yourself. There is no room for weakness in my world."

She nodded as resolve swelled within her. She was strong. This was something she could get done. She would show him to be wrong.

He changed his tone, becoming more analytical and professional. He said, "We have to be sure the public knows this marriage is not only about me." Over the next several weeks, you will have to show up at some important events, including interviews, charity balls, and public appearances. We shall have to go to the press with the formal announcement. I anticipate you are ready for that.

"Understood," she responded; nonetheless, she was not certain precisely what "prepared" would imply. Would she have to learn how to smile on request, how to be the great wife to this man she hardly knew?

"Good," he said, pushing a file in her direction. "This compiles the schedule of the next activities." You will get guidance as well on managing the press. I have confidence you understand how to handle a public image."

Flipping open the folder, Amelia scanned the pages. The occurrences were well-known, each more demanding than the previous one. The tension was rising, and it was obvious that this would not be straightforward. If she could rise to the occasion, if she could play the part, this might be the answer to all she had ever wanted. Strength. Respect. A spot on the table.

One small thing jumped off the pages for her as she went through. A charity event that Sebastian was planning to visit stood midway through the calendar. It was a big event, one of those things the cities would want to attend. Deals were negotiated and futures formed; it was one of those times. Amelia too would have to stand beside him flawless and grinning—a photo perfect partner.

It was a try. A government publishing assessment. And she had to pass it.

"Else?" she inquired, turning from the folder.

Sebastian had dark eyes and lips turned to a knowing grin. Sure. There's always further. It will be quick. For the moment, concentrate on these initial few steps. See to it you are set for the media."

His manner of speaking showed that there were levels to this game, things he had not yet disclosed. Still, Amelia did not back down from the challenge. She had worked long to reach this point. Regardless of how risky it could be, she would engage in the activity.

Sebastian's voice kept her from standing.

His voice low and almost questioning, he said, "You are not the only one with something to prove, Amelia." "Make sure you don't overlook that."

Amelia could not help but think he was cautioning her, reminding her of the power dynamics at work; his words hung in the air. She was not just in a marriage of expediency. She was halfway through something much more complex—something that would test her in ways she could not yet grasp.

Feeling the weight of the world bear down on her shoulders, she exhaled profoundly walking out of the office. Though the negotiation was completed, the actual work—that is her real test—was only starting.